6 Ways Your Job Search Is Being Suffocated

As recent graduates have learned this summer, the job market is still a hot mess. Not enough jobs, too many applicants, and HR departments that move slower than anyone ever expected.

And then there are the issues job seekers bring on themselves; the mistakes that cost them interviews – and jobs.

To help you avoid those mistakes, we asked employers, industry experts and HR professionals what they consider to be the errors that impair, and ultimately suffocate, your job search. Here’s what they said:

1. Your Social Footprint is Lackluster

Your social footprint is the combination of your social profiles and posts, blogs, comments, and portfolios. “A professional and well-rounded social media presence gives potential employers greater insights into your personality and interests outside of the workplace,” says from Peter Arvai, CEO of Prezi.

2. You’re Limiting Yourself By Your Major

The learning does not stop after the diploma – especially if you want to break into a new field. Jot Dhaliwal, graduating liberal arts major from UC Berkeley, told us the biggest struggle he faced as a soon-to-be new grad is breaking into the business side of the tech industry with no technical skills. The solution? Free online courses.

“The trick is to take advantage of the vast amount of free online resources such as Khan Academy, Code Academy, Udacity, Coursera and of course Google’s certification programs,” Dhaliwall says, who landed an internship at Grahm & Associates and Webmarketing123.

3. You’re Not Doing Enough Networking

Sending off dozens of resumes is just the bare minimum of what job searching requires. To be successful in today’s job search, you must use LinkedIn, Twitter, cold emails and alumni networks to stand out.

“Build relationships with these people so that they will think of you when jobs are available,” says Kent Lee, career expert and consultant for Yahoo and the CEO of Perfect Resume. “Plus, these connections can provide you with valuable insight regarding what companies are hiring, etc.”

4. You Lack Enthusiasm

“The curiosity to learn coupled with a positive attitude is a recipe for success,” says Alexa Hamill, PwC’s US Campus Recruiting Leader.

Be yourself – and exude confidence, enthusiasm and a fresh perspective. “The most important thing for a candidate to remember during the interview process is to be themselves,” Hamill says.

5. You Want a Job So Bad, You Overlook the Company’s Culture

“Whether you’re seeking an internship to gain more experience after graduation or heading straight into entry-level employment, you’ll have a more successful job search if you tailor it to the specific values and company cultures you’re interested in,” Heather Huhman, CEO and founder of Come Recommended.

It’s tempting to accept the first offer you get, but check out this post on how to spot a bad company culture to avoid a terrible professional experience.

6. You’re Aren’t Leveraging Informational Interviews

John Paul Engel, managing director at Knowledge Captial Consulting, tells his students to ask for an informational interview and then ask three questions:

How did you get into this career? (let people tell their life story)

What have you learned that has helped you be successful? (everyone likes to hear their successful)

What should a young professional like myself do to be welcomed into this field?

“These interviews have led to jobs, opportunities to be on boards of nonprofits, and one student got $10,000 in contract work,” Engel says.

Avoid these job search errors, work to improve each aspect of your job search, and you’ll be in much better shape than many others in the applicant pool.